Hugs, cheers, and inspiration part of KCS Graduation Walk

Amid cheers, music, and the wide eyes of hundreds of youngsters looking on in amazement, nearly 200 graduating seniors from A.L. Brown High School walked the halls of their old elementary schools. It was part of the second annual KCS Graduation Walk.

The Graduation Walk is designed to celebrate the achievement of graduating seniors as well as inspire elementary students to accomplish their goals in the classroom and beyond. As part of the Graduation Walk, seniors go back to the elementary schools where they began their academic careers. It allows them to celebrate how far they have come and inspire younger students. “This is a fantastic experience for the seniors and the elementary students,” said KCS Superintendent, Dr. Chip Buckwell. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s more excited: the graduates, the elementary students, or the teachers. They all love it, and it’s a wonderful event for everyone in Kannapolis City Schools.”

A total of 181 graduating seniors took part in the Graduation Walk. They volunteered their time to be part of the event and came back to school even after they had completed their exams. Senior, Kori Chitty, said she was looking forward to sharing her accomplishment with some of the people that had made it possible. “I haven’t been to my elementary school in a very long time, she said. “I wanted to see the difference, and I was hoping to see my teachers from the past and tell them that I made it.” Tevin Haynie saw the Graduation Walk as a great way to reach out to younger students. “I want it to be a great experience for them, so in the future when they walk on that stage, they’ll do the same thing.”

The seniors boarded buses and visited every KCS elementary school and McKnight Head Start. They went in groups of about fifty, with each group visiting two schools.

The official graduation ceremony for the A.L. Brown Class of 2017 is Saturday, June 10 at 9:00 a.m.